GB2132382A

GB2132382A - Method and device for controlling a spinning works preparatory plant

Info

Publication number: GB2132382A
Application number: GB08327261A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fritz Hosel; Ferdinand Leifeld
Original assignee: Truetzschler GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Truetzschler GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1982-10-13
Filing date: 1983-10-12
Publication date: 1984-07-04
Also published as: FR2534600B1; IT1166947B; ES526444A0; JPS59168132A; DE3237864A1; IT8322901A0; GB8327261D0; IN162942B; ES8405858A1; GB2132382B; CH661291A5; DE3237864C2; FR2534600A1

Abstract

A spinning works preparatory pliant comprising a plurality of machine groups (2, 5, 13a, 14a) is controlled by measuring variables relating to the plant operation and comparing in an electronic processor (18) the desired and actual values of the variables. The processor (18) may include individual control units (22, 23, 24, 25) associated with respective machine groups and a master control unit (21). The master control unit may be connected to a master computer (26. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and device for controlling a spinning works preparatory plant.

The invention relates to a method and device for controlling a spinning works preparatory plant.

In practice, spinning works preparatory systems are so controlled during the passage of material through them that the material transport roller in the machine is operated on a stop-and-go basis, depending on the requirement of the subsequent devices in the system. The subsequent machines are normally stores for material, or contain stores for material. Their levels are customarily scanned by sensing devices having a yes-or-no function, for example a photoelectric cell or an electronic pressure switch, to ascertain the-counterpressure which is a measure of the level of fibre stored in a subsequent part of the system. These sensing devices then control, in accordance with the yes-or-no statement, the operation or non-operation of the material transport drive mechanism.This method has the disadvantage that, in the pause times, no unravelling and cleaning work takes place, whereas in the operational phase an increased amount of work has to be done compared with the average throughput. Because the cleaning and opening effects are more favourable the smaller is the throughput, the effect is ail the more impaired the longer are the pause times. With a pause running time ratio of, for example 50:50, double the average amount has to be passed through during the operational phase.

In a known method, individual machines are provided with individual machine-controlling means and are assembled to forrn, systems. The coordination of the operational states, which is necessary for the treatment of the material and the transport of the material, is taken over by a master switching cabinet in which the logic operations are carried out by relay methods. The inevitable outcome of this is that, normally, the machines operate in inter-connected operation with regard to the throughput of material in a stop-and-go operation. Since most of the effects, for example the degree of cleaning and degree of opening, are dependent on production in that these effects are better, the smaller is the throughput, in the known method the plant is not used in an optimum manner.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of controlling a spinning works preparatory plant comprising a plurality of machine groups, each group including one or more machines wherein variables related to fibre material and/or related to operation of parts of the machines themselves are measured and signals representing the variables are passed to a an electronic processor where they are compared with desired values and each of the plurality of machine groups are controlled by control signals from the processor determined in dependence upon the result of the comparison.

The electronic processor may include computing means and may comprise a microcomputer.

The electronic processor may include means organised as various stations, including an arithmetic and logic unit, fixed stores alterable stores, a data input port, a data output port, an address output port, and respective data and control highways arranged to convey data words, represented by electrical pulses, to and from the various stations which are, in general, arranged aiong the data and control highways, and are connectable to the highways on a time-divisionmultiplex basis for transferring electrical energy in pulse form between the various stations.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for controlling and/or regulating a spinning works preparatory plant that consists of several groups of machines, wherein each machine group has more than one machine, in which method the type and amount of fibre to be processed is measured, and controlled or regulated, characterised in that fibre materialrelated and/or machine-related values are measured constantly at the machine groups or individual machines, are compared with preset desired values by a microcomputer, and when they deviate from the desired values are calculated afresh, and the new value is re-supplied to a final control element of the subassemblies or individual machines.

A microprocessor master control means is used as the control means for the overall system. This control means contains in stores the proportional allocations of actual values, desired values and correcting variables for each control circuit required in the overall system. Furthermore, the control means contains a computer and program memory for logic connections. All the machines and aggregates are linked to this control means.

The connection to the machines provides inputs and outputs. The actual values required for the operation of each single unit, such as air pressure, speeds, inoperative state, level, weight of material, etc., are supplied to the control means. The input quantities required for the machine are supplied to the machine in the form of output quantities of the control means. Using the computer, inside the control means the desired values (from the store) and the actual value (from the input quantity entered in the control means) are compared, and the correcting variable is determined; this correcting variable is fed in the form of a control means output quantity to the machine as its input quantity. Moreover, it is possible also to store, compare and mutually to influence proportional allocations of data from various machines.Thus for example, the card sliver thickness and the card production, as principal desired values, can be preset for the overall system. From this point onwards, all values are then automatically regulated as far as the bale opener by way of the control means. A special advantage of the process resides in the fact that, when material is passed through continuously, better results, for instance in respect of the cleaning and opening. are achieved.

Preferably, a microcomputer master control and regulating module is used as the overall plant control and regulating means.

The central control or regulation of, and the checking by the microcomputer (microprocessor system) of all measurement, command and adjusting signals during the processing of the fibre material is a novel and advantageous feature.

The microcomputer is therefore used for regulating functions, for example, for regulating the speed of the feed roller, the doffer etc. The microcomputer is also used for control functions, for example the switching on or off of the card, for the control of the speed steps of the rollers, for example of the licker-in, the cylinder, the doffer for initial speed, fast-speed, low-speed operation etc.

The system contains the instruction to use the microcomputer in a so far unconventional novel and non-obvious manner, namely for combining technical features. By means of the invention, a novel and inventive usage of the microcomputer to influence the production process is achieved.

An important advantage is the interaction between the microcomputer, operational parts of the machine and sensors measuring variables relating to the operation of the machine.

It is possible, by the use of an electronic microcomputer control and regulating apparatus to avoid expenditure on equipment to an appreciable degree. In particular, the use of a regulating circuit with its own regulating apparatus for each quantity to be regulated can be avoided. The regulation of machine-related and fibre technology-related characteristic data no longer takes place separately, but combined. The particular advantage consists in that, thereby, the machine-related and fibre technology-related characteristic data are linked together and are able to act mutually on one another. For example, the actual values of the sliver thickness measurement (fibre technology data) can be processed in the control apparatus and output as (machine-related) regulating variables for the speed of the intake roller and/or of the doffer of the card.Furthermore, for example, the fibre technology data optimum for a specific batch of fibre, such as draft, production speed, etc., can be measured and stored in the control apparatus so that when a similar batch is processed at a later date, the same machine-related regulating variables for the rollers of the card can be set. Finally, the required fibre technology data can be adapted to the limits of the machine performances, and thereby the relationship between carding technology and card construction can be optimised, A further advantage consists in that, for other functions, for example of the drive and/or of the carding technology, a specific control behaviour may be realised by means of desired, presettable characteristic curves.As a result, the information (speeds, silver thickness, speed ratios, etc.) necessary for the carding technology, are centrally ascertained, evaluated and processed in an optimum manner.

The invention also includes a device for implementing the process according to the invention, in which the machine groups or individual machines of the spinning work preparatory plant have allocated to them elements for measuring values related to the fibre material and/or to the machines, which elements are connected to the microcomputer master control and regulating module to which the final control elements allocated to the machine groups and/or individual machines are subordinate.

Inside the microcomputer master control and regulating module there may be arranged a system related master control and regulating device and several control and regulating units for the individual machine groups or individual machines.

The control and regulating device may be arranged between the machine groups or individual machines and the system-related master control and regulating device.

The microcomputer master control and regulating mddule may be connected to a master computer.

By way of example only certain illustrative embodiments of the invention will riow be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows schematically a spinning works preparatory plant connected to a central microcomputer master control and regulating module, Fig. 2 is a block circuit diagram of the construction of the microcomputer master control and regulating module, and Fig. 3 is a block circuit diagram of machinerelated control and regulating modules for a card feed and a card.

Fig. 1 shows a blowing room line-up, the machines of which are joined together by pipelines. A row of fibre bales (baie group) positioned freely one behind the other, is processed by a bale opener 2, for example the bale opener sold by Trijtzschler under the Trade Mark BLENDOMAT. The fibre flocks (not illustrated) removed by the bale opener 2 are passed through a transport line 3 to a cleaner 4, for example an axial flow cleaner such as that sold by Trutzschler under the Trade Mark Axi-Flo. Downstream of the cleaner 4 is a mixer 5, for example a multimixer, having several compartments. The fibre flocks are passed by the transporting air into a condenser 6 which separates the fibres from the transporting air. Following the condenser 6 is a feed device 7 with a feed hopper for a cleaner 8, for example a saw-tooth cleaner. From the cleaner 8 the fibre flocks pass through a further condenser 9 with a feed shaft 10, into a fine opener 1 , from which the fibre flocks are guided by means of a transporting fan 1 2a into a distributor line 1 2b for several card feeds 1 3a, 1 3b with feed hoppers, for example of the kind sold by Trutzschler under the Trade Mark EXACTAFEED.From the card feeds 1 3a, 1 3b the fibre flocks pass in a condensed form as a fibre flock fleece into respective cards 1 4a, 1 4b connected downstream, which produce slivers 1 Sa, 1 Sb from fibres arranged parallel to one another; the slivers are deposited by a sliver trumpet by way of can coilers 1 6a, 1 6b into cans 17a, 17b and from there pass to the next machine of the spinning process, for example the drawing equipment.

Measuring elements (for example elements referenced 28, 29, 34, 38, 42 in Fig. 3) for fibre material-related and/or machine-related values are assigned to the bale opener 2, cleaner 4, mixer 5, condenser 6, feed shaft 7, cleaner 8, condenser 9, feed shaft 10, fine opener 11, distributing line 12, card feeds 13a, 13b, cards 1 4a, 1 4b, sliver trumpet 1 Sa, 1 Sb and can coiler 16a, 16b. These measuring elements known per sue may be electronic pressure transducers or a current- or voltage-measuring device.

The bale opener (2) (including travelling mechanism, height adjusting means, opener roller), the cleaner 4, the multi-mixer 5 (including the supply and take-off rollers), the condenser 6 (the drive for the condensing cylinder), feed shaft 7 (take-off rollers), the cleaner 8 (the drive for the cleaner roller), the condenser 9 (the drive for the condensing cylinder), the feed device 10 (take-off rollers), the fine opener 11 (the drive for the opener roller), the material transporting fan 12a, the card feeds 13a, 13b(including intake rollers, opener rollers, take-off rollers), the card 1 4a, 1 4b (feed roller, licker-in, cylinder, doffer, stripping rollers, delivery rollers, revolving flat), the can coiler 16a, 16b and, optionally,the cans 17a, 17b have variable drive motors (see Fig.3, reference 31,36,40). These drive motors known perse form final control elements, by means of which the speed of the machines and thusthe amount of processed fibre material may besadjusted.

Referring now to Fig. 2, in the microcomputer master control and regulating module 1 8 there is a system-specific master control means 21.

Between the master control means 21 and the individual machines or machine groups of the blowing room there is provided in each case a control or regulating device, for example a control device 22 for the bale opener 2, a control device 23 for the mixer 5, a control device 24 for the card feed 1 3a and a control device 25 for the card 14a.

Each control device 22 to 25 is electrically connected via inputs and outputs firstiy to the master control means 21 and secondly to the respective individual machines 2, 5, 1 3a, 1 4a. The master control means 21 is electrically connected to a master computer 26, which may, if desired, set desired values. It will be understood that while four machines are shown in the drawings further machines and/or machine groups with associated control devices may be provided.

The individual machines and machine groups are coordinated according to specific criteria. In this micro-computer master control and regulating module 1 8 (control centre) specific controlling and regulating modules 22 to 25, which may all be of the same construction but programmed differently according to their specific application, are provided for the individual machines 25, 1 3a, 1 4a and are connected to the system -- specific master control means 21. In dependence on the actual values they pass to the control means 21, the modules 22 to 25 receive from this control means desired values that are adapted, or corrected, in each case to the corresponding situations by the master computer 26.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown in the side wall of the lower feed shaft 27 of the card feed 1 3a an electronic pressure sensor 28 which is connected by way of a pneumatic/electric transducer 29 to the control device 24, inside which there is provided a control and regulating apparatus 30 (for the card feed), the output of which is connected to the drive motor 31 for the delivery rollers 32 of the feed shaft 27. The control device 24 (for the card feed) is connected to the master control and regulating means 21 for the system.

Allocated to the feed roller 33 of the card 1 4a is an electronic tachometer generator 34 which is connected to the control device 25 inside which there is provided a control and regulating apparatus 35 the output of which is connected to the drive motor 36 for the feed roller 33. Allocated to the doffer 37 of the card 1 4a is an electronic tachometer generator 38 which is connected to the control device 25 inside which is a control and regulating apparatus 39 for the doffer, the output of which is connected to the drive motor 40 for the doffer 37. Inside the control device 25 there is further provided an overriding control and regulating module 41 for the card. The sliver trumpet 42 is connected via a pneumatic/electric transformer 43 to the overriding regulating and control module 41.The regulating and control module 41 (for the card) is connected to the master control and regulating means 21 for the system.

For the card 1 4a there is one regulating device for the doffer 37 and one for the feed roller 33.

These receive their desired values from an overriding regulating and control device 41, the values being varied in dependence on reports on the machine states, and on the card sliver. In the case of the card feed 13a, there is provided a control and regulating device 30 for delivering the flocks to the card 14a. In this case, the actual value statement consists of a pressure signal which has been suitably converted.

The desired values for the card feed 1 3a (for example the speed of the delivery rollers 32) and for the card control means (for example the draft) come from the overriding system-specific master control means 21 and may be varied or corrected by this depending on the states of the two machines. The master control means 21 may also be connected to a master computer (not illustrated in this embodiment) which supplies general preset values or desired values for the entire system (for example the required production, the quality, etc.).

On the cylinder 1 4a there is located a tachometer generator 47 which is connected to an electrical device 44 for the processing and forwarding of machine state reports which are emitted, for example, from the tachometer generator 47, a photoelectric barrier 45 and a door switch 46.

It may also be advantageous to provide a separate control for controlling the speed of the carding cylinder; alternatively, the speed of the cylinder may be coordinated internally with the speed of the doffer 37.

A feature of the described embodiments is that a common processor is used to control a plurality of different machines (in the embodiment of Figs.

1 and 2, the machines of a blowing room line-up and in the embodiment of Fig. 3 a card feed and a carding machine) and that the control system takes account of the operation of one machine when controlling another machine. Thus the plurality of machines influence one another's operation and are controlled with the object of optimizing the performance of the group of machines as a whole. For example a measurement of the card sliver thickness may be arranged to influence, via the microcomputer, the operation of the bale opener.

Preferably the signals fed back from the various machines are not simple on/off signals but are substantially analogue signals (the term "substantially analogue" is used to indicate that the electrical signal need not be a pure analogue signal, although this is preferable, but may be a signal that can have a multiplicity of values; for example, a signal having at least ten values would be satisfactory). Similarly it is preferable that the control of the various machines is substantially analogue; for example where a motor of a machine is being controlled it is preferable that its speed be variable in a substantially analogue manner.With such substantially analogue controls it is possible to control the machines effectively in a very smooth manner and with only slight fluctuations in speed so that a given throughput of fibre can be achieved with comparatively low maximum machine speeds.

The embodiments of the invention described above permit a central control of and check on the processing of the fibre taking account of the type of fibre and the amount of fibre to be processed and is less expensive in terms of equipment and less susceptible to trouble than previous control arrangements.

The microcomputer may contain a stored programmable control means and/or a microprocessor control means.

Stored programmable control means may perform the tasks of function control means. They do not operate in parallel, like protective control means, but run cyclically through the entire program. Combinations of input signals or contents of marker stores are processed command by command, and the combinational result is directed to a marker store or an output. All data and operands are only one bit wide. Specially constructed logic processors thereby achieve cycle times of from 1 to 3 ms for 1000 program words. The operating method of the stored program system therefore appears parallel to the user, if very rapid procedures are disregarded.

With some systems, the cycle time can be influenced by conditional or unconditional jumps.

Others in their turn allow the quasi-parallel processing of several program cycles.

Stored program systems possess a generally small repertoire of different commands, which can easily be learned by relation to the application and by using symbols and observing mnemonic principles. In this way, combinational, sequential and time controls may be realised.

The efficiency of logic processors remains in most cases, with justifiable hardware and programming costs, confined to this field.

Microprocessor control means are generally programmed in a processor language (e.g.

Assembler). They operate in a word-oriented manner and, in the control of apparatus functions, are far inferior to the logic processor in the speed and efficiency of the programming. The multi-bit processing is, however, needed for measuring, metering, calculating, comparing, or for emitting texts. The boundaries between microprocessor control means and stored program systems are fluid. There areintermediate solutions, whereby microprocessor control means translate a useroriented logic language (interpretively), during the execution time, into commands of its own language. By this means, simple programmability is obtained whilst maintaining multi-bitprocessing at the expense of processing speed.

Other solutions for the combination of single-bit processing and multi-bit processing lie, for example in combining a microprocessor control means with a stored program system within a machine control means, or in the common arrangement of a logic processor and a microprocessor in one system. Signal processors are programmable modules fcr the real-time processing of analogue signals, to be thought of, for instance, as an arrangement of microprocessor, analogue-to-digital converter and digitiai-to-analogue converter in one module. They may be used, for example, for the peripheral devices (outer periphery).

Claims

1. A method of controlling a spinning works preparatory plant comprising a plurality of machine groups, each group including one or more machines wherein variables related to fibre material passing through the machines and/or related to operation of parts of the machines themselves are measured and signals representing the variables are passed to an electronic processor where they are compared with desired values and each of the plurality of machine groups are controlled by control signals from the processor determined in dependence upon the result of the comparison.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which a machine group comprises a carding machine.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which a machine group comprises a device for feeding material to a carding machine.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which a machine group comprises a bale opener.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which one or more machine groups are made up from one or more of the following: cleaner, mixer, condenser and can coiler.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which a signal fed back to the processor from one machine group influences a control signal passed out from the processor to another machine group.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 in which a signal fed back to the processor from a carding machine influences a control signal passed out to the bale opener.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which each of the plurality of machine groups are controlled in a substantially analogue manner.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the signals that are passed to the processor from the machine groups are substantially analogue signals.

1 0. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9 in which the control signals that are passed from the processor to the machine groups are substantially analogue signals.

11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the control exercised by the processor is varied according to data entered into the processor concerning the fibre material to be processed.

92. A method of controlling a spinning works preparatory plant that consists of several subassemblies, wherein each subassembly has more than one machine, in which method the type and amount of fibre to be processed is preset, wherein variables related to the fibre material passing through the plant and/or related to the machines are measured continuously at the subassemblies or at individual machines, are compared with preset desired values by a processor, and when they deviate from the desired values are calculated afresh, and the new value used to control an operative part of the subassemblies or individual machines.

13. A spinning works preparatory plant comprising a plurality of machine groups, each group including one or more machines, and control means for controlling the operation of the plant, the control means including a plurality of means for measuring variables related to the fibre material to be passed through the machines and/or related to operation of parts of the machines themselves, and an electronic processor to which the plurality of measuring means are connected, wherein operational parts of each of the machine groups are controlled in accordance with control signals from the processor.

14. A plant as claimed in claim 13 in which a machine group comprises a carding machine.

1 5. A plant as claimed in claim 13 or 14 in which a machine group comprises a dev;ce for feeding fibre material to a carding machine.

16. A plant as claimed in any of claims 13 to 1 5 in which a machine group comprises a bale opener.

17. A plant as claimed in any of claims 13 to 16 in which one or more machine groups are made up from one or more of the Foílowing: cleaner, mixer, condenser and can coiler.

1 8. A plant as claimed in any of claims 13 to 17 in which the processor is a microcomputer.

19. A plant as claimed in any of claims 13 to 18 in which the processor includes a plurality of control units each connected to respective ones of the machine groups and a master control unit.

20. A plant as claimed in claim 19 in which each of the plurality of control units is interposed between a respective machine group and the master control unit.

21. A plant as claimed in claim 20 in which each.of the plurality of control units is programntable and is programmed according to the machine to which it is connected.

22. A plant as claimed in any of claims 19 to 21 in which the plurality of control units are electronic units and the master control unit is an electronic unit.

23. A plant as claimed in any of claims 13 to 22 in which the electronic processor is connected to a master electronic processor.

24. A method of controlling a spinning works preparatory plant wherein input and output parameters for the system as a whole are entered as inputs to a common control unit which is arranged to allocate corresponding input and output parameters to each of a plurality of the component parts of the system to provide nonintermittent flow of material through the system, each of the component parts of the system is arranged to communicate its current input and output parameters to the control unit, and the control unit is arranged to issue to each of the component parts setting instructions for making the allocated and current parameters the same.

25. Any new or novel feature herein described.

26. A method of controlling a spinning works preparatory plant the method being substantialiy as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

27. A spinning works preparatory plant substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.